PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore Julia McKenna (Windham, Maine) scored a game-leading five goals for the University of Southern Maine women's lacrosse team on Tuesday evening in a hard-fought 13-12 road loss to the Plymouth State Panthers. The Panthers scored three goals in the fourth quarter and withstood a late comeback attempt by the Huskies in a battle of two teams that entered the contest undefeated conference play. All five of McKenna's goals came in the second half.
 
When and Where: April 18, 2023 – Plymouth, N.H. – Panther Field
 
The Records: Plymouth State: 8-5, 4-0 LEC, Southern Maine: 7-7, 3-1 LEC
 
The Goalies: 
PSU: Margie Black: 8-4, nine saves, 10 goals allowed, .474 save percentage
PSU: Piper Sherbert: two goals allowed, .000 save percentage
USM: Cece Racine (Lewiston, Maine): 7-6, 10 saves, 13 goals allowed, .435 save percentage
 
How It Happened:

• The Panthers went up 2-0 in the first three minutes of play before the Huskies answered with two goals in less than a minute to tie the score. Plymouth State closed out the first quarter on a 3-0 run thanks to a pair of goals from Maddie Hunt.
• Freshman Maddie Kinney (Topsham, Maine/ Mt. Ararat) scored her second goal of the game just over a minute into the second to make the score 5-3.
• The Panthers went back up by three with 7:49 left in the quarter but their lead evaporated when the Huskies scored three unanswered goals to end the half. Freshman Cierra Hill (Pembroke, N.H./Pembroke Academy) scored two of the three goals and sophomore Emily Cloutier (Brunswick, Maine) scored the game-tying goal less than two minutes before halftime.
• Plymouth State had another 3-0 run to open the second half then the two teams traded goals before the Huskies once again tied the game with three consecutive goals from McKenna.
• In the fourth quarter the Panthers broke the tie with two goals in the first five minutes and later added another one. McKenna scored two more goals to put pressure on the Panthers but the Huskies had a costly turnover in the final minute that allowed Plymouth State to hang on for the win.

 
Inside The Stats:

• McKenna's five goals led all players and she was one of four players with five points joining Hill and Plymouth State's Julia Donovan and Olivia Croke who each had three goals and two assists.
• Kinney and Hunt each scored twice and had an assist.
• Amelia Thomas scored twice for the Panthers.
• Plymouth State had a slight 15-14 edge on draw controls with the majority coming from Hunt and Jenna Stowell.
• McKenna and Racine each had three ground balls.
• The Huskies went 2-for-4 on free position shots and the Panthers went 0-for-4.

 
Up Next: The Huskies will host Keene State on Saturday at 1PM and will be holding a special ceremony prior to the game honoring 2022 Little East Conference Hall of Fame inductee Jessica Knight Tremblay '12, '19.